Defining the context in which a product is to be used is a fundamental part of any
design process. Defining and exploring context in a meaningful way can lead to
the design of more inclusive products; however, there is a tendency, especially in
the early design stages, to use informal, exploratory lightweight methods, e.g.,
brainstorming, discussion, product searches, etc. (Goodman et al., 2006). Such
methods may fail to supply designers with detailed information regarding users and
the context in which products are used. The reasons designers do not probe further
have been shown in some cases to be a result of limited detail within project briefs
and time and budgetary constraints (Goodman et al., 2006; Chancellor of the
Exchequer, 2005). A failure to consider context can lead to the development of
products that place increased demand upon the user.
The overall purpose of this initial study was to explore context and how it
impacts upon the demands placed on the user’s capabilities during product use
(Goodman and Waller, 2007). The research will ultimately lead to the development
of a design resource which will raise a greater level of context awareness during
the design process. At the same time, such a resource needs to be seen as
supplementing, but not replacing, whatever real user research the designer’s
constraints will allow.

Description:

This is a conference paper. It was presented at CWUAAT 2008: http://rehab-www.eng.cam.ac.uk/cwuaat/